Power Swap
by Stinkfly3
Summary: How exactly was Grojband formed? Well it all started one year ago, back when one small incident changed Corey's life forever...
1. Their Wishes

Every four years, the Bonkerton Comet would arrive at Peaceville, causing very strange things to happen with each flash. But last year, something even stranger happened. For you see, the comet was briefly knocked out of orbit that year, and that small incident would lead to the biggest change in all of Peaceville history.

It all started when eleven-year-old demon spawn Corey Riffin was hanging out in the garage with his three friends, Laney, Kin, and Kon. They had yet to form Grojband, so they were still normal kids in a normal town. They did rather unusual things together. Today's activity? Testing out Kin's new time machine.

After a few hours, Kin stepped out of the machine, causing Kon to gasp in delight. "One million BC and back again without messing up the future one single bit!" the smarter twin announced. He presented a small lemon tree. "Who's in for victory lemonade?"

Corey, Laney, and Kon were confused. "Why Kin, I've never heard of 'lem-o-nade'," Kon remarked.

Kin gasped and looked at the lemon tree. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

At that moment, Trina showed up. "Can you keep it down?!" she asked. "I totally can't here myself think!" She didn't normally use those words, but she spoke like that as an attempt to blend in with the humans, thinking all human teenage girls spoke like that.

"Sorry Trina," Corey replied. "We're just testing a new time machine."

Trina rolled her eyes. "Whatev's," she said. "Just stop being, like, all noisy. Mina's out sick and I want to work on my plan to captu- I mean, become boyfriend and girlfriend with Nick Mallory." She grinned, not wanting her cover to get blown.

"Did I hear you say 'capture'?" Corey asked, making sure he didn't hear things.

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Trina shrieked. Then she left the garage, slamming the door shut.

"That was strange," Kon said.

"Come to think of it, you two have been acting strange," Kin told Corey. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

Corey didn't know how to respond to that. He was trying his best to blend in with the humans in Peaceville ever since he first set foot on the surface world. Trina has also tried to blend in, but due to her powers, she wasn't doing a good job. At least he became friends with three humans.

"Um... You see... I..." the younger demon stammered. Then he came up with a perfect excuse. "Why don't we sell free kittens in the mall parking lot? We finished the time machine quickly, so there's still plenty of daylight left."

Laney, Kin, and Kon looked at Corey. "Sell free kittens?" Laney asked. "How could we sell them if they're free?"

"Don't worry about logic, Lanes," Corey said, putting an arm around her. "Let's just do it!"

* * *

That evening, Corey and Trina were eating dinner with their mother. Both siblings didn't look happy as they ate. Who could blame them? They both had bad days today.

"So, how's my children doing?" Mrs. Riffin asked with a smile.

"Terrible," Corey quietly said. "I helped my friends sell free kittens in the mall parking lot. It was going well, but we didn't make any money."

"Sweetie, that's what free means," Mrs. Riffin explained.

"I had no other choice!" Corey exclaimed. "They were starting to get suspicious and I had to distract them."

"By making them do an oxymoron?" Trina asked.

"Okay, so it wasn't a good idea," Corey admitted. "It's better than having them find out I'm an electrical-powered half-demon from the Underworld."

"At least you can control your powers," Trina said. "I have to use my soul capture device to make sure I don't accidentally cause a volcano to erupt!"

"You're lucky you have more powers," Corey said. "They're why you're dad's favorite. He thinks that just because you can summon a pillar of flame by snapping your fingers, you're more qualified to becoming the next ruler of the Underworld."

"But I still want to be the first demon to join the RIPD," Trina said. "I just wish I could control my powers."

"Not as much as I wish I had stronger powers," Corey said.

* * *

That night, as Corey and Trina slept, something strange happened. The Bonkerton Comet was visible above Peaceville. Just as it went back into orbit...

FLASH!

As the comet left, Corey and Trina squirmed in their sleep. Trina gripped Mister Mooseface as her ivory claws appeared, while Corey moaned as his four extra arms emerged. Then suddenly, a strange presence rose in the air as their horns, wings, and tails appeared. Their skin and hair changed, and their teeth became sharp fangs.

Then all was quiet. At least until tomorrow...


	2. Switchy Switchy

Corey woke up the next morning feeling strange. He got out of bed, groaned, stretched his six arms-

Six arms?

Corey looked at his body. Sure enough, he had his four extra arms. "Oh no..." he muttered, looking at his reflection in his bedroom mirror. "Not again..."

Yes, Corey must have turned into his demon form overnight. Aside from his four extra arms, he had bright red skin, all-black eyes with pale green pupils, an armored tail with a spade tip, ivory-clawed hands and feet, red and black bat-like wings, and sharp fangs. His blue hair was streaked with silver, short grey horns were on his forehead, and a blue and black demonic pentagram was on his right shoulder. But it didn't last long. Sighing, he concentrated on his disguise and changed back to his human form. Surprisingly, he didn't have to put in a lot of effort this time.

This wasn't the first time he accidentally went demon in his sleep. In fact, the last time it happened was several years ago, back when he was still a young demon. So why would it happen now?

* * *

After getting dressed, Corey went downstairs, where he was greeted by his mother. "Morning, sweetie," she said. "I made you and Trina some bacon."

"Thanks mom," Corey replied, sitting at the kitchen table for breakfast. "Where is she, anyway?"

"She's still sleeping," Mrs. Riffin answered. "She's usually up before you."

"Yeah..." Corey said, realizing his mother was right. "Wonder what's taking her so long."

* * *

Trina groaned. She woke up feeling exhausted. It was as if her essence was drained from her body. But she still had to get up. So she got off her bed and stretched her arms. It wasn't until she looked at her reflection in her bedroom mirror that she felt fully awake.

Instead of seeing her usual pink-haired disguised self, Trina was looking at her true appearance. Her skin was bright red, her eyes were all-black with pale green pupils, and her hair was waist-length and dark purple with pink streaks. She also had an armored tail with a spade tip, ivory-clawed hands and feet, red and black bat-like wings, and sharp fangs. But unlike her brother, she had a pink and black demonic pentagram on her left shoulder, a 'Demon's Child' tattoo on her collarbone, and long black horns. She sighed in annoyance and attempted to change back to her disguise.

But nothing happened.

_"That's weird,"_ the female demon thought. _"Usually changing back would be easy. Why am I still in my demon form?"_ She took a deep breath and tried again.

Nothing happened again.

* * *

Back downstairs, Corey was finishing his breakfast when Trina showed up in her usual outfit. "There you are," Mrs. Riffin said. "Corey's almost done eating."

"Sorry about that," Trina said. "I can't seem to change into my disguise."

"That explains why you look like yourself," Corey remarked. "Did you try focusing on your shape-shifting powers?"

"Yes," Trina explained. "And I feel weak. Did you make me drink that special water again?"

"No," Corey said. "And it was only that one time during April Fool's Day."

"You better not be lying," Trina said.

"I'm not!" Corey insisted. "I swear on our father's name that I'm telling the truth!" Then suddenly, one of the kitchen windows shattered.

"Trina, you might want to calm down," Mrs. Riffin said. "I don't want to go to the window repair shop again."

"That wasn't me," Trina said. "I don't even feel angry."

Mrs. Riffin looked at the two kids. "Maybe you should go to the Underworld to see what's going on," she advised.

"Seriously?" Trina asked.

"Maybe that's not a bad idea," Corey said. "Didn't Otis say he was a doctor before a heart attack killed him and dad had to revive him into a demon?"

"I don't really know," Trina admitted. "You know him longer than me."

"Come on, sis," Corey said, standing up. "Let's see if he knows what's wrong with us."

* * *

In the Underworld, Corey and Trina entered Otis' lair. "Hey Otis," Corey said. "You busy?"

Otis threw an elevator into his lava pool before changing into his human form. "Not at all," he said. "Long time, no see. What brings you to my home?"

"Corey thinks you could help us," Trina said. "Apparently you were a doctor while you were alive."

"Of course I was," Otis said. "It was before I became an elevator operator."

"Great!" Corey said. "So can you help us?"

Otis walked over to the two hybrids. "Certainly," he said. "What's wrong?"

"Well I feel strange," Corey said, clutching his stomach. "Like I have this pressure inside me. And just a while ago, a window shattered after I was trying to tell Trina I wasn't pranking her."

"Pranking her?" Otis repeated. "Trina, why would you think that?"

"Because two years ago on April's Fools Day, he tricked me into drinking that special water," Trina explained. "It made me lose all my powers for the whole day, including my shape-shifting ones. I had to stay home until it wore off."

"I see," Otis said. "Did you feel any different?"

"Just drained and powerless," Trina answered. "Why? Do you think you know what's wrong with you?"

"Probably," Otis said. "How about to show me some of your powers?"

Trina let out a laugh. "That's too easy," she said, then she raised her arm to release a small amount of her powers. To her surprise, electrical sparks appeared on her fingertips. She shrieked, startled by the sparks.

"That was weird," Corey remarked, raising his arm. "But at least I can control my-"

Suddenly, a sphere of fire appeared in Corey's hand. He yelped, accidentally throwing the flames at a nearby boulder. He took deep breaths, looking at his singed hand. "What the [censored] was that?!" he asked.

"Looks like the energies from your demon halves were swapped," Otis said. "Don't know how, but it happened."

"So, I have Trina's strong powers?" Corey asked.

"And I have Corey's good control?" Trina asked.

"That's not all," Otis continued. "Something must have caused it to occur. What did you do yesterday?"

"I wished I could control my powers like Corey can," Trina said.

"And I wished I had powers like Trina's," Corey said.

"Then something must have granted your wishes," Otis said. "I'll try to find a cure, but until then, you must learn to deal with each others' powers."

* * *

"This can't be happening!" Trina exclaimed as she and Corey went back to the surface world. "I'm stuck with these useless powers for who knows how long!"

"You think that's bad?" Corey asked. "I have all of your powers and I can't even control them!"

"Geez, calm down," Trina said. "You know what happens when I get angry."

"Sorry," Corey said. "All these powers are making me feel like I drank over twenty cups of coffee."

"Now you know how I feel," Trina said. "Why don't you teach me how to use your powers and I'll teach you how to use mine?"

Corey clutched his stomach again. "As long as it means the pressure's off afterwards, I'm in."

"Good," Trina said. "Now let's begin."


	3. Going Solo

In the garage, Corey and Trina's training began. "As you know, I use my Soul-Capturer Ten Thousand to control my powers," Trina said.

Corey held up the demonic device. "So can I use it?" he asked.

"No!" Trina yelped, snatching the book and pen from her brother. "Use your own demon artifact." She tossed his guitar over to him.

Corey caught the device and looked at it. "You sure?" he asked. "Dad said it was for brainwashing humans."

"Trust me," Trina said. "My artifact works for me, so your artifact probably works for you."

The younger demon strapped on the guitar and looked at it. He never played a musical instrument before. Was he really going to be any good? Regardless, he carefully played a series of notes. As he played, he felt access energy being released from his body and into the guitar. Those notes quickly turned into an instrumental song. He slightly moved his head up and down, getting lost in the demonic music. When he was finished, he felt slightly better than before.

"How do you feel now?" Trina asked.

"Not as bad as before," Corey answered. "Now to teach you how to use my powers."

"Right," Trina said. "How do I change back?"

"Your problem is that you're used to having a lot more power," Corey explained. "Try to focus on a bigger amount of energy."

"Okay," Trina said, closing her eyes. "I can do this. Just concentrate on a bigger portion..." Sure enough, she was back to her human disguise. She opened her eyes, relieved. "It worked! I look like a human again!"

"I must warn you," Corey said. "My powers are weaker than yours, so you'll probably feel relaxed all the time."

"I'm already feeling relaxed," Trina said. "I feel so at ease, so calm, so...human. Is this how you feel?"

"Pretty much," Corey answered, he checked the wall clock. "Now you better get out of here. The guys should show up any minute."

"Don't worry about me," Trina said, heading for the stairway. "I'm going to spend the day catching up on Drop Dead Diva with Mina using our webcams."

"Drop Dead Diva?" Corey asked. "Isn't that the show that's based on events that occurred to a woman named Deb Dobkins back in the 1980s?"

"It is," Trina answered. "At least the pilot episode was accurate."

* * *

After Trina left, Corey killed some time by playing his guitar. He felt at ease when he did so, feeling more like his old self as he played. He was so lost in the demonic music again, he didn't notice he had an audience.

"I didn't know you played guitar," Kon said.

Corey stopped what he was doing, unstrapped his guitar, and put it back in the case. "It's a hobby," he said. "So, what's the plan for today?"

Laney responded by walking over to the video and opening up a website. "This," she said.

Corey looked at the website. "Broadway Rocks?" he asked. "The big celebration dedicated to musical theater?"

"That's not all," Laney said, clicking on the link. "You won't believe who's performing this year." The link led to an article about the performers. Corey couldn't believe what he read.

**Broadway Rocks 2012**

**Just like the real deal but it's free!**

**Songs Will Be Performed by:**

**The Newmans**

"Are you kidding me?!" Corey hollered. "The Newmans are performing?!"

"Aren't they the kids who made fun of you and Laney six years ago?" Kin asked.

"Yes," Corey snarled, gripping the computer mouse. He tried his best to keep his new powers under control.

Laney put her hand on the disguised demon's shoulder. "Core, I know they did bad things to us in the past, but we can't do anything about it. They're the ones who formed a rock band a few years ago."

Corey looked at his guitar. He smirked, getting an idea. "Maybe we can..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Trina was in her room webcam chatting with Mina. "I so can't believe they got rid of Fred after three seasons," the older demon said.

"No kidding," Mina agreed. "I'm still not used to seeing Luke. I even wrote a fanfic about the whole ordeal." She sent the link to Trina, who skimmed through it.

"This is pretty good," Trina said. "It's, like, so accurate."

At that moment, Corey knocked on the door. "Trina, are you still talking to Mina?" he asked, not entering his sister's room.

"Yeah," Trina replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Tell her to tell Carrie and her friends to meet us in the park," Corey reported. "It's about this year's Broadway Rocks."

"Yeah, I got this," Trina said. She looked back at her computer. "Did you hear that?"

"Everything," Mina reported. "I'll talk to her after our chat."

* * *

A few hours later, Corey, Laney, Kin, and Kon waited at the local park. Sure enough, the Newmans showed up. "Hello Riffin," Carrie said. "Still using a scratching post on your fingernails?"

"Same old Carrie," Corey responded. "Still the [censored] I met six years ago."

"So what do you want to tell us?" Carrie asked. "Me and the other Newmans were in the middle of practicing for Broadway Rocks."

"Yeah, about that," Corey said. "You must be really happy to perform."

"We sure are!" Konnie happily exclaimed.

"What about it?" Carrie asked.

"Sure is a shame if something happened that day," Corey said. "Say, I don't know... Another performer challenging you to a competition?"

"Oh please," Carrie said with an eye-roll. "Who's our competition?"

"Funny you should ask," Corey said as he strapped on his guitar. "I happen to be a musician." He strummed a few chords for proof.

"You want to challenge us to a band competition?" Carrie asked. She let out a laugh. "How do you expect to win by yourself?"

Corey responded by playing his guitar some more. As he played, his friends and the Newmans zoned out as their eyes started to glow dark red. This affect was because of the hypnotic music. After all, Mr. Riffin did say it had the ability to brainwash any human who listened to it. Fortunately, when Corey stopped playing, everyone else snapped back to reality.

"What just happened?" Kon asked.

Kin groaned as he rubbed his forehead. "My head feels like it's on fire."

"Fine Riffin," Carrie said. "I accept your challenge." She reached out her hand. "May the best performer win."

Corey smirked and shook the human girl's hand. _"This is going to be fun,"_ he thought.


	4. The Truth Comes Out

**"You what?!"** Mr. Riffin roared.

Corey and Trina flinched. Upon their mother's suggestion, they visited their father in the Underworld so they could tell him what happened to them. Unfortunately, he wasn't taking it so well.

"We don't know how it happened, dad," Corey said. "I wished I had better powers so I could impress you, and Trina wished she could control her own powers."

"Don't get angry at us," Trina begged. "Neither of us were expecting to switch powers overnight."

Mr. Riffin slightly calmed down. "I am not angry at either of you," he said. "Just disappointed. Trina, I heard you have been using your Soul-Capturer Ten Thousand to control your powers. Is that not working for you?"

"It is, but my powers are still showing," Trina explained. "If I'm not careful, I could end up causing Mt. Peaceville to erupt!"

"And Corey, you know better than to want your sister's powers," Mr. Riffin continued. "I cannot change the fact that you are more human and less demon. After all, if your human mother understood how the demon birth procedure goes, she would have been okay with the doctors escorting you to the baby infirmary like all other disabled offspring."

Corey was surprised to hear that. "I...was a mistake?" he whimpered, him voice trembling.

"Corey, it's not like that," Trina said, putting her hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "When newborn demons aren't ferocious and powerful when they're born, the doctors throw them into the baby infirmary to get rid of them. It's a natural occurrence in the Underworld. Mom just...wanted to keep you."

That only made things worse. Upon hearing that, Corey fell to the ground as tears poured from his eyes. To Trina's surprise, his blue hair was slowly becoming a pale shade of brown, an action he was doing using his shape-shifting powers. "Corey?" Trina asked softly.

Corey let out a small sob, unable to form words in his mouth. Trina looked up at Mr. Riffin. "Are you happy, dad?!" she asked. "You broke your only son!"

"Trina, he was going to find out sooner or later," Mr. Riffin replied. "It is best for him to know about it now."

* * *

When Trina and Corey returned to the surface world, she laid him out on the couch. By now, his hair was completely pale brown and he was still crying softly. Trina felt bad seeing Corey in this state. Her usually confident younger brother who could do anything he wanted was gone. Instead, she saw the scared little demon boy that he was six years ago.

Trina leaned forward to kiss Corey's forehead, smiling softly. "Don't worry, bro," she said. "Mom and I still love you. She didn't think you were a mistake when you were born. She thought you were the perfect child."

Speaking of which, Mrs. Riffin overheard what was going on, so she entered the living room. "What's going on?" she asked.

Trina stood to her full height and looked at her mother. "Dad told Corey what happened to him when he was born," the older demon explained. "He's...not handling it."

Mrs. Riffin kneeled next to Corey and stroked his hair. "Corey, you should be grateful I didn't let the doctors send you to the baby infirmary," she said. "You're the greatest creation I ever made. I'm sure your father cares for you as well."

"I-I-I don't have a father..." Corey said in a low voice, closing his eyes as more tears fell.

"Oh, sweetie..." Mrs. Riffin said. "Yes you do."

"No, I don't!" Corey said as he hit his fist on the sofa, his body not changing positions. "I'm a human boy with a human family! No demons! No mysterious pasts! No...dark secrets..."

"Corey Riffin, don't you dare say that," Mrs. Riffin said, speaking in a firm yet gentle tone. "You should be proud of who you are. You might not be powerful like your sister, but you have a moral compass. You know better than to attack everyone you hate. That's what makes you special. It's not a curse, it's a gift."

Corey looked up, tear stains shown on his cheeks. "But I still wish I was a human," he quietly said. "I've always felt that way. It's just that with Trina's demon energy, I can't hide it anymore." He sighed. "Dad's words were the stick that broke my back."

"Corey, I think that human saying is 'the straw that broke the camel's back'," Trina corrected.

"Dear, you're not helping," Mrs. Riffin said.

* * *

That night, Trina had a hard time sleeping. She was looking out her window at the quiet town, worried about Corey. He refused to change his hair back to blue, keeping it pale brown instead. He didn't explain why he did that.

After some time passed, Trina decided she needed some time to herself. Seeing how everyone was probably sleeping, she opened her window, changed into her demon form, and flew out into the night sky. She closed her eyes, feeling the wind on her wings and the moonlight shining on her skin. She loved being in this form. To her, being a human was a curse. She couldn't fly or show off her powers. There were rules she had to follow, and she frequently felt the urge to shed her disguise and reveal her true self.

But now, things were different. With Corey's demon energy in her body, Trina felt different. She felt calmer, almost human. While the thought disgusted her, part of her was happy to be one with the humans of Peaceville. In fact, she was so happy and calm, she couldn't help but recite a poem written by Underworld celebrity Edgar Allen Poe. And that night, a wonderful sound was heard throughout all of Peaceville.

(A/N: Look up Children of the Night by Duo Cartoonist on YouTube for the song.)

_Come little children_  
_I'll take thee away_  
_Into a land_  
_Of enchantment_  
_Come little children_  
_The time's come to play_  
_Here in my garden_  
_Of shadows_

_Follow sweet children_  
_I'll show thee the way_  
_Through all the pain and_  
_The sorrows_  
_Weep not poor children_  
_For life is this way_  
_Murdering beauty and_  
_Passions_

_Hush now dear children_  
_It must be this way_  
_To weary of life and_  
_Deceptions_  
_Rest now my children_  
_For soon we'll away_  
_Into the calm and_  
_the quiet_

_Come little children_  
_I'll take thee away_  
_Into a land_  
_Of enchantment_  
_Come little children_  
_The time's come to play_  
_Here in my garden_  
_Of shadows_

When Trina was finished singing, she flew back to her home, not knowing a human was watching her sing. As she left, that human gave a silent message to her through a quiet whisper.

"Nick Mallory has found his guardian angel."


	5. Bigger Changes

The next day, Corey was on the garage sofa playing his guitar. He was still upset about his father telling him he was going to die when he was born all because he was more human than demon. He still refused to change his hair color back to blue, keeping it pale brown. That small difference symbolized his attitude towards his demon heritage. He originally removed the silver streaks in his natural blue hair because he wanted to respect his demonic background even though he wasn't proud if it. But what happened yesterday changed his perspective on his nature. He rejected the demon side of him, changing his hair to a more humanly color.

So here Corey was in the garage waiting for his friends to show up. Playing the guitar wasn't making him feel any better, so he started singing one of his favorite human songs, one that reminded him of Laney, his peas and carrots.

_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with-_

"Who the heck is that?!"

Corey stopped singing and sat up on the couch. Standing in the doorway were Laney, Kin (who was the one who made that remark), and Kon. All three were surprised to see him. "Kon, security!" Kin said.

"Guys, wait!" Corey exclaimed before Kon could move a muscle. "It's me, Corey! I stopped using hair dye!"

Kin looked at Corey again. "Whoops..." he said with a nervous chuckle. "False alarm."

"You've been using dye this whole time?" Laney asked. "Why?"

"I wanted my hair to match my eyes," Corey convincingly lied. "So, what's the plan for today?"

"Other than telling you it was a bad idea to challenge the Newmans to a singing competition on Broadway Rocks?" Laney asked in response.

"Come on, guys!" Corey exclaimed. "The Newmans are the biggest jerks in town! It's time they got a taste of their own medicine!"

"Kids used to make fun of me because I'm no good at math," Kon said. "But I don't hunt them down for revenge. You should let this go and move on."

"Kon, the Newmans made fun of me too," Laney recalled. "They used to tease me for being the quietest girl in school."

"So why did they pick on you, Corey?" Kin asked.

"The obvious reasons," Corey said. "New kid at school, didn't know what was going on. Typical bullied excuse."

"Really?" Kin asked suspiciously. "So there's no reason why Carrie mentioned something about you using a scratching post."

Corey and Laney didn't know what to say. Since Kin and Kon were new to the gang, the twins didn't know about Corey's cat habits when he was a young demon. He grew out of it because of Laney, but they decided to keep it a little secret between them. Of course, the Newmans still remembered it.

"Oh... About that..." Corey said. "Well... It's because..."

Fortunately, Trina (already in her human disguise) showed up. "Corey, we need to talk," she said. To Corey's surprise, she wasn't wearing her headband, her hair covering both ears.

"Uh... Sure," Corey said. He looked over at his friends. "Would you excuse me for a minute?"

* * *

"What's wrong?" Corey asked as Trina closed the inside door to the garage.

"I feel strange," Trina explained. "Like I'm not myself anymore. It must have to do with using switching powers."

"So why aren't you wearing a headband?" Corey asked.

Trina responded by moving her hair back. Dangling from her ears were black upside down cross earrings. Corey gasped. "What did you do?"

"Relax, I didn't get them pierced," Trina said. "Shape-shifting powers, remember?"

"Of course I remember," Corey answered. "I was asking about the earrings. They don't seem like something you would wear."

"I know," Trina said. "But I woke up this morning with an urge to wear them."

"Is this about the thing with you not being yourself?" Corey asked.

"Obviously," Trina replied. "When our powers were swapped, it must have also switched our personalities. I'm starting to act like you, so you're going to start acting like me."

"Hold on!" Corey yelped, raising his hands in defense. "I'm not going to end up acting like you! How would the others react when they see me using some old journal around the house when I need to control my powers?!"

"I don't think it'll end up like that," Trina guessed. "We'll still keep our likes and dislikes. Just end up responding to them differently."

"You sure this has to do with our powers getting swapped?" Corey asked.

"Otis told us yesterday that the energies from our demon halves were swapped, not just our powers," Trina continued. "I suppressed my human half, and you apparently suppressed your demonic half. This means the demon side of me is bigger than yours. You're going to end up feeling vicious and power-hungry, so try to keep it under control."

Corey walked up to a nearby mirror. "Trina, I got this," he said, taking off his beanie and finger-combing his hair. "There's no way I'm turning into you. Now if you excuse me, I have to make some plans with my friends." And with that, he tossed his beanie over his shoulder and went back to the garage. Surprised, Trina picked up the beanie and looked at it. Looking at her reflection in the same mirror, she put it on and smiled, satisfied with how it looked on her.

* * *

As the days went by, Corey and Trina continued to act strange, and everyone was noticing. Like Trina predicted, she and Corey were becoming less like themselves and more like each other. Corey stopped wearing his usual concert shirt, replacing it with a black vest over a white dress shirt. He also made sure his hair was combed when he got up each morning. Trina, on the other hand, switched to a more casual look. She started wearing a white t-shirt with orange sleeves and an orange flame design on the front, black rolled-up jeans, and orange sneakers. She didn't bother to take care of her hair, giving it a messy look. She even painted her fingernails black.

One day, Mrs. Riffin wanted to speak to Corey and Trina, so she had a family meeting in the living room. "Corey, Trina, we need to talk."

"About what?" Trina asked.

"It's about you two," Mrs. Riffin answered. "Corey, what has gotten into you? You barely talk to your friends and you're getting more violent."

"Why, you got a problem with that?" Corey asked, his voice sounding less caring.

"And Trina, you're acting like your brother," Mrs. Riffin continued. "I might think it's a good thing that you're calmer, but I have a feeling your father wouldn't like it."

"I can't help it, mom," Trina said. "It's Corey's demon energy. It's making my brain have these strange thoughts."

Mrs. Riffin sighed. "I knew it had something to do with that..."

"Can I go now?" Corey impatiently asked, getting up from the couch. "I still need to practice for Broadway Rocks."

"You're still obsessing over that?" Trina asked. "Corey, your grudge against Carrie and her band has changed you. Can't you let it go?"

**"They started it,"** Corey snarled before he headed back to the garage.

* * *

Trina sighed as she watched Corey practice in the garage. She felt bad seeing him in this state. Even before the switch, she still had Mina. Corey was basically isolating himself from the others and focusing all of his attention on Broadway Rocks. As each day passed, he was becoming more demonic and less human.

Not wanting to bother her brother while he was in this mood, Trina went back inside to watch some TV in the living room. As she browsed through the channels, she stopped when one was playing the 1997 TV movie musical Cinderella. Trina enjoyed the musical, especially the part where the Fairy Godmother helped Cinderella look presentable for a grand dance.

That was when Trina got an idea. Her thoughts shifted to Laney, the only female human Corey cared about. She knew he wasn't expecting her to show up for Broadway Rocks, so what if she attended the festival in a beautiful dress? If that were to happen, Corey would forget about the battle against Carrie's band and pay attention to his princess. After all, whenever Trina was trying to focus on something, she would instantly get distracted when she saw Nick Mallory.

Trina smiled to herself as she continued to watch the musical. "Light bulb..." she quietly said.


	6. Beauty Pageant Queen

**A Few More Days Later...**

It was finally time for Broadway Rocks. Corey already left, guitar in hand. So with her brother gone, Trina put her plan into action. First, she got out her Gorgon Snakes products (a popular hair care company in the Underworld) and some of her old dresses. But before she went over to the Penn household, she needed to check in on Otis. So she went to the garage and looked at the ground. "Going down, basement floor. Lovely weather we're having," she said.

As soon as the older demon said those words, an elevator emerged from the ground in flames. This wasn't any ordinary elevator. It was the Nethervator, the quickest way to get to Otis' lair. After all, she needed to see if he found out what caused the swap.

* * *

A few minutes later, Trina arrived at the Underworld, where she was greeted by Otis, who was working on a strange-looking device. "Trina, what a surprise to see you," he said. "I can see you aren't feeling great."

"No kidding," Trina said, knowing he was talking about her new look. "Corey's getting the worst of it. Are you any close to the cure?"

"Glad you asked," Otis said. "I found out the cause of the swap. It was because of the Bonkerton Comet."

"Bonkerton Comet?" Trina repeated. "I thought it wasn't scheduled to show up until next year."

"It was knocked out of orbit," Otis continued. "Fortunately I found the cure. I'll use this special rock magnet to hold it out of orbit until it flashes and fixes you and your brother. It should occur any minute now..."

While nothing happened, Trina suddenly felt her old powers returning. She clenched her hands, flames briefly appearing in her fists. "I guess it worked," she said. But her victory was short-lived when she remembered Corey. Thinking back to that first night where she when out for a midnight flight, she needed to figure out something VERY important. "Does Corey have any other powers?"

"I think so," Otis answered. "Your father told me he's one of the musically-gifted demons. He can put ideas into human brains through song. Why else would he have a guitar that brainwashes all humans who listen to its music?"

Trina looked surprised. From what she heard, Corey was working on a rather demonic song for Broadway Rocks. And if he performed that song...

"Thanks for telling me," Trina said before she rushed over to the Nethervator.

"You okay?" Otis asked.

"Just need to save the town before Corey starts the Apocalypse too early," Trina replied Then she pressed a button in the Nethervator to go back to the surface world.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Laney said. "You stopped by my house, dragged me to your room, and you want me to go to Broadway Rocks in a dress?"

"Well duh!" Trina answered, back to her usual look. "You so need a makeover. Just think of me as your Fairy Godmother!"

"I don't want to go to Broadway Rocks," Laney said. "It's just some big outdoor party about watching people sing and dance. Not my type of entertainment."

"But Corey's, like, going to be there," Trina pointed out. "Don't you like him?"

"Yeah, I like him," Laney answered. "He's so kind to me. Always hugging me and giving me nose boops." She sighed. "What's gotten into him?"

"He's just going through a tough time," Trina said, glancing at her bedroom clock. "Now enough talk. I need to help turn you into a princess."

"Princess?" Laney repeated, looking at her feet. "I don't think I can pull it off."

"Course you can," Trina said. "Just need to get rid of all of...this." She gestured to Laney's whole body. "I mean, what's with your hair? It's all poofy and junk."

"It's this shampoo brand I've been using," Laney explained. "Chainsaw for Girls."

"That cheap female equivalent of guy care products?" Trina asked. "No wonder your hair looks shorter. You better use my bottle of Gorgon Snakes shampoo. It's what helps my hair look totes perfect, like, all the time."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Laney asked.

"Yeah, I do," Trina said. "Why? You have something against looking pretty?"

"Actually..." Laney began before she started singing.

(A/N: This song is a parody of the MLP song Anthropology by AwkwardMarina.)

Laney: _Women models fascinate me_  
_Being just the way they are_  
_Tell me Trina Riffin, can you_  
_Make me look just like those girls_  
_Playing the bass is my thing_  
_But all the guys will think I'm nuts_  
_It's a mystery_  
_Beauty pageant queen_  
_Fingers and toes that are painted_  
_Gorgeous hair and flawless skin_  
_Would it be too much to ask for_  
_The great life they're living in_  
_Everybody tells me that it's_  
_Just a dream and not the truth_  
_It's a mystery_  
_Beauty pageant queen_

Trina: _Aren't you bored of_  
_Looking all dark_  
_Styling your dry, poofy hair_  
_I don't mean to butt in or gloat_  
_But celeb history proves_  
_Real girls don't change their own bodies_  
_They don't need it, they don't care_  
_All they've got's the right cosmetics_  
_And new outfits here and there_  
_All those models, young and older_  
_Their beauty is shown inside_  
_It's no fantasy_  
_Beauty pageant queen_  
_This shampoo will make your hair straight_  
_Get rid of that black makeup_  
_Borrow one of my old dresses_  
_Who's to say that you're all dull_  
_Maybe you should try this look_  
_And you'll end up with prettiness_  
_It's reality_  
_Beauty pageant queen_

Laney: _Yeah, I don't think that sounds like me_  
_Nobody's perfect, you see_

Trina: _Still I say you're born with the rights_  
_To dress up however you please_  
_You don't need to tell yourself lies_  
_You too can be beautiful_  
_Now go trade your boyish image_  
_For a pair of red flats_  
_Here's the mirror, look right at it_  
_Now this tomboy is a princess_

Laney: _Me!_  
_That is who I am_  
_Beauty pageant queen_

Laney couldn't believe what she saw in the mirror. She was wearing a strapless maroon gown and red flats with ruby gems. Her face was free of makeup and her hair was straightened, making it longer than usual. "Wow," she said. "You actually did it."

"Yep!" Trina said with a smile. "Now let's get over to Broadway Rocks so Corey can see the new you!"


	7. Broadway Rocks 2012

Meanwhile, at Broadway Rocks, the Newmans finished performing Defying Gravity from Wicked. After all, Carrie was the only singer of the group. Corey tuned his guitar, ready to perform. He didn't know he was back to normal. All he could think about was getting back at the Newmans for all those years of torture. It was time he got his payback.

When the Newmans were done, they walked over to Corey. "Beat that, Riffin," Carrie said, her voice sounding dry from all that high-pitched singing she had to do for the song.

Corey stood up. "Gladly, Beff," he responded as he headed for the stage.

* * *

"Alright party people!" Party Danimal, the host of this year's Broadway Rocks, said. "Let's see if Corey Riffin can outperform the Newmans!"

Corey strapped on his guitar and smiled. But just as he was about to perform, he saw someone standing in the audience. He squinted to get a closer look at this person.

"What's Riffin doing?" Carrie asked. "He's not even performing!"

"He's probably distracted by the crowd," Kim figured. "It happens to all first-time performers."

Upon closer inspection, Corey discovered that person was none other than Laney. But she looked different. She looked so...beautiful. Her outfit matched her hair, which swayed oh-so gracefully as she moved. He could tell she was looking at him, and he smiled at her, feeling the urge to caress her soft hair. He forgot all about his grudge match with the Newmans. Instead, he decided to sing something else. His favorite human song.

"This song goes out to a very special person," Corey said. "Someone very close to my heart." Then he performed his song, not breaking eye contact from Laney.

(A/N: The following song is Fade Away by Greg Cipes, aka: Beast Boy from all Teen Titans cartoons.)

_You can't fade away_  
_The way I feel for you_  
_There ain't no word I can say_  
_What I'd do for you_  
_And every single day_  
_I make it through this game called life_  
_It's always filled with pain and strife_  
_Reality will cut you like a knife_  
_It ain't right_  
_But with you by my side_  
_We will win the fight_  
_In the battle of dark and light_  
_Take my hand, hold it tight_  
_When we dance I feel alright_

_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with me_  
_Together let the light shine_  
_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with me_  
_Together let the light shine_

_You can't fade away_  
_Everything we got_  
_I'm talkin' about what's inside, yes connection with the heart_  
_You know it's true_  
_Ain't nothing stronger than the power of the youth_  
_And every thing I do is just for you_

_I do it for you_  
_I do it for you_

_I'd move the mountains_  
_Then I'd stand up and shout it_  
_There's earth that's out there_  
_Never in my doubt_  
_The ability, stability_  
_Agility at almost high_  
_You love me girl_  
_You let me know_  
_That this feels right_

_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with me_  
_Together let the light shine_  
_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with me_  
_Together let the light shine_

_The sky is our blanket_  
_The earth is our bed_  
_If you don't know_  
_We'll never be dead_  
_Well ska la la la la la la la la_  
_Yeah yeah_  
_Well ska la la la la la la la la_  
_Yeah yeah_  
_Whoa_

_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with me_  
_Together let the light shine_  
_By your side is where I'll be_  
_Endless love won't fade you'll see_  
_When I walk you walk with me_  
_Together let the light shine_

When Corey was done, the audience cheered. But the only person he saw was Laney, who was smiling at him. He smiled back, newfound feelings emerging inside him.

* * *

Backstage, Corey put his guitar back in the case. Trina walked up to him. "I guess the show went well," she said.

"Perfectly," Corey replied, still smiling. "I didn't know Laney was going to show up."

"You're welcome," Trina said.

"For what?" Corey asked.

"I was the one who brought Laney here," Trina explained. "I talked to Otis a while ago, and he fixed our powers. He also told me you have the ability to put ideas into human brains through song. Had to make sure you didn't accidentally give everyone in Peaceville nightmares."

Corey was in shock. "You did that for me?" he asked. "You're the reason why I have the urge to throw mud at Laney's face to mark her as mine?"

"Yes, but don't do that," Trina said. "I spent a whole song montage trying to get her to look nice." She picked up the guitar case. "I'll take this back home. Meanwhile, go spend some time with your girl."

* * *

While the Newmans went back to performing songs (with Carrie feeling better after she drank some water), Corey walked up to Laney, still surprised to see her looking like a princess. "Hey Lanes."

Laney turned around. "Hey Corey," she said. "Nice performance."

"Thanks," Corey said, blushing. "Glad you liked the song."

"Course I did," Laney replied. "It was...sweet. Very sweet."

There was silence between them. Corey was thinking about how beautiful his best friend looked tonight. Subconsciously, he reached forward to feel her red hair. She responded by gently grabbing his wrist, still smiling. "You sure have a strange fascination for my hair."

Corey blushed even harder. "Softest thing I ever felt," he said.

With perfect timing, the Newmans started to perform Tell Her from the short-lived musical 13. Corey looked at Laney. "Wanna dance?" he asked.

"Sure," Laney replied.

With that response, Corey took Laney by the hand and pulled her close to him. He put his other hand on her waist and she put her other hand on his shoulder. They gently danced to the music, not breaking eye contact.

"Didn't know you were a good singer," Laney said.

"It's a hobby," Corey said.

"Well I liked it," Laney said. "It was the most beautiful thing I ever heard."

"Y-You think so?" Corey asked. "I never took any lessons."

"You still sounded perfect," Laney said. "In fact, I might as well tell you I've been taking bass lessons. Maybe we can form our little group."

"What about Kin and Kon?" Corey asked. "Can't leave them out."

"We'll get them to join," Laney continued. "The four of us can perform songs together. With your beautiful voice, we'll become a band better than the Newmans."

"Better than the Newmans?" Corey repeated, liking the idea of finally getting his payback.

"Exactly," Laney said. "You just have to do one small favor."

"Anything," Corey said.

Laney moved her hand from his shoulder and gently touched his hair. "Go back to using dye," she said.

"I don't know..." Corey said. "I stopped using it because it wasn't my thing."

"Please?" Laney whispered, caressing his pale brown locks. "You look better with blue hair."

Corey looked deep into Laney's dark green eyes. They sparkled in the low light. He knew at that moment, he could never say no to her. "Alright," he said. "I'll go back to using dye first thing tomorrow morning."

And that was how Grojband was formed.


	8. Even Trina Has Standards

**One Year Later...**

With Kin and Kon out of town for the week, Corey and Laney had the garage to themselves. At the moment, they were bored out of their mind.

"So Core, what's the plan for today?" Laney asked.

"Don't know," Corey answered. "I'm used to Kin and Kon being here." He sighed. "Guess we were having so much fun with the band that we never had time for other things."

Laney looked at a plastic cup near the computer. "Maybe we can try out that weird cup fad," she suggested, picking it up.

"What weird cup fad?" Corey asked.

Laney replied by flipping the cup upside down and tapping it. After a few taps, she started muttering a song.

_I got my ticket for the long way round_  
_Two bottles of whiskey for the way_  
_And I sure would like some sweet company_  
_And I'm leaving tomorrow_  
_What do you say_

"Wait," Corey said. He went inside his house and came back with another plastic cup. He sat next to Laney and flipped his own cup upside down. "Didn't want you to do this fad without me."

* * *

Trina was in her room with Mina. Today's activity was watching the new reality show Would You Fall For That, where the hosts would pull tricks on unsuspecting people. Why you may ask? While Trina still kept her promise to Corey, she felt like giving Mina a break and treating her like a real friend for today. So while the two girls were watching the show, Trina heard Corey and Laney from the garage. She heard them singing, tapping cups, and laughing.

"Want me to go down there and stop what they're doing?" Mina asked.

Trina gasped. "No!" she yelped. "Those twins aren't here for, like, the whole week! My brother is down there with just his childhood friend! You canNOT interfere with them!"

"Really?" Mina asked. "You don't want me to end up with Nick Mallory, but you want Corey to be with Laney. Why?"

Trina sighed, thinking about all the times she saw Corey and Laney hanging out. "Let's just say he sees her as a very special version," she replied. "I would never think about ruining something that adorable."

**The End**


End file.
